Interior Design Ideas Zebra Print

The greatest thing about decorating your own home is that it allows you to say ‘I made that’ or ‘I did it myself’. In an age when so much daily activity seems pre-programmed or conducted via a computer keyboard without regard to physical distances or borders, there is something inherently precious about this. From the moment when you hit on an idea, through the stages of planning out your changes, gathering tools and materials, preparing the ground, doing the job and finally standing back to admire your handiwork, decorating requires you to make the decisions, be they budgetary, aesthetic or just plain practical. The essence of its appeal is that it allows you to take control.
As we all know, however, being decisive is not always easy. In decorating, as in life, issues can become confused by the sheer range of options that seems to be available, fear of what the neighbours might think and a lack of confidence in your own abilities. It often seems easier to put a room together by buying bits and pieces in a piecemeal and rather half-hearted fashion or to opt for the safest, most familiar solutions. Unfortunately, the former approach can make a room seem unpleasantly ‘bitty’, and the latter all too often results in bland and depressing spaces, devoid of any sign that they might be lived in by real people.
Creating a home with personality, therefore, begins with the question: ‘What do I really want?’ You will find this easier to answer if you look closely at rooms that appeal in some way and identify those aspects or details that you like most. It might be the way the colour of the furniture contrasts with that of the walls or something as minor as a cute curtain trim. Try also to describe the atmosphere in these rooms. Is it lively or serene? Airy or claustrophobic? Does the decor make you feel calm or jumpy? Identifying the qualities that appeal, as well as those that repel, enables you to focus on how you would like your home to look and feel.